More Than A Dream
by Hikaru a
Summary: RKRC 60 Second Vignette Challenge: Misao's POV on when Aoshi and the others return from Shishio's fortress.


More Than A Dream  
By Hikaru 

Summary:  
Misao's POV on when Aoshi and the others return from Shishio's fortress.

Notes:  
This is an entry in the RKRC 60 Second Vignette Challenge. We have been asked to "_pick a scene from the Rurouni Kenshin anime... where one of the characters is experiencing "slow time". Essentially, about 60 seconds -- maximum -- pass in actual time, but a million things race through the character's mind, making it "feel" like much more time has elapsed,_" in 1000 words or less. Naturally, I pick a scene involving A/M, because that's my specialty Yep, yep, angst driven memories galore! So sit back, and enjoy!

_In a shallow sleep I dreamt I was seeing you  
Just how I remembered  
Brimming with tenderness  
And somewhere in the calm  
A feeling that nothing had ever changed  
Your presence close beside me till I wake _

- Hyde  
_"Shallow Sleep"_

This has to be a dream. Too many times had I imagined this, you returning to me, Aoshi-sama. So many nights I dreamt that you had returned to the Aoi-ya. I would reach out to touch you, to hold you once more... and then you would vanish, I would wake up, alone once again.

Dreams used to be the only place where I could see my dear Aoshi-sama.

But here you are. Dark black hair, a long trench-coat, looking much more haggard than when you did when I last saw you. But it was you, Aoshi-sama. The oncoming trio pauses, you and the Rooster-head look towards our small gathering. Focusing on me, a small smile appears on your lips. The color in your eyes; the vibrant blue that had disappeared when you tried to kill Jiya had returned. Did that mean the _true_ Aoshi-sama had returned?

With a smile curving my lips, I race towards you, as Kaoru-san and Yahiko-kun ran towards Himura and the Rooster-head. Tears brim in my eyes as my mind floods with uncertainty. Had you returned as a favor to Himura? Or had you actually returned because you --a tear streaked down my cheek, staining it-- actually wanted to see me once again.

My mind suddenly flashes with memories of your face. My youth. My Aoshi-sama. They were one in the same. I vaguely remembered the day you left. You were so quiet towards me. I was only a child at the time, so I couldn't understand what was going on. I remember you telling me that you loved me, and you would always protect me. That night, in my dreams, someone was telling me that you wanted to say goodbye, but I wouldn't allow you to. Aoshi-sama could not leave me, I would be so heart broken. In the morning, I awoke to find you gone. Oh, how I anguished over your retreat. However, I remembered the promise you made- that you would always protect me.

That is why the day that you dueled Jiya, I thought that I had lost you forever. Seeing Jiya lying in a pool of his own blood- a wound that _you_ had caused. Aoshi-sama, I was so frightened of you at that moment.

The Aoshi-sama who promised to protect me... with the words you said to me then... might as well have been dead. The man who held the blood-stained kodachi was a shadow of the Aoshi-sama I grew-up with. However, you are no longer that shadow. I have to be dreaming, that is the only logical explanation.

Cursing my legs for not moving faster, I push my body further. I want to touch you-- to make sure that this wasn't a dream. So close, you are so close. I inhale a whiff of your scent, which drives my senses insane with want. You even smell the same... the scent of all those Summers spent outside, training. Your smile then...

Aoshi-sama's smile....

Just a little closer....

I reach my hands towards you. The world is spinning before me, but I don't care. You are here, you are in front of me. I could hold you in my arms once more without fear of awakening. No longer am I the small child that you would have to care for. I am a woman now. A woman who would never stop loving you. A woman who would forgive you for each and every once of your mistakes.

I never blamed you Aoshi-sama, you know that right?

I love you too much to hate you the way I should. I should hate you for what you did-- but I don't. Think what you will, but I love you. Foolish -- perhaps -- but true.

Being before you now, I swallow hard. Your eyes lock on me, their dark blue staring at me intently. My heart is racing, beating loudly against my eardrums. I cannot believe that you are really here, like this.

Aoshi-sama. You're home.

My body reacts on it's own. Before I know it I jump up, my arms stretched out for you. Wrapping my arms around your large chest, I squeeze tightly.

_Kami-sama, if this is a dream, strike me down right now._

The tears won't stop now as I hold on to you as if my life depended on it. Your body is tense, but that is to be expected. I am probably hurting some injury that you received during the battle by holding onto you so tightly, but I don't care. Later will be the time for apologies, now I just want to hold you. After my ten years of searching, I want this moment to last forever. I can touch you once again. You are no dream-- I'm no longer sleeping.

Slowly, your arm circles around me, bringing my petite form close to your body. I look up to your face, a smile forming behind my flood of tears, "Aoshi-sama?"

In a quiet whisper you say, "Tadaima, Misao."

The soft monotone of your voice calms my frantic heart. Unable to suppress my joy any longer, a bright smile forms on my lips, as I tighten my grip on you. "Okaeri, Aoshi-sama!" I shout. "Okaeri!"

You've come home, finally.

My Aoshi-sama.

Fin

Afterword:  
Okay... so you never see hugging, and Aoshi never says the cheesy "Tadaima" thing... but it's sweet, you must admit. You were right, Pnu-kun... I AM a hopeless A/M romantic...

916 words, counting the song at the beginning. Heh... I'm not cutting it close...

Disclaimer:  
This fan fiction challenge was written for entertainment purposes only. The characters of Rurouni Kenshin belong to Watsuki-san. Standard disclaimers apply.


End file.
